Tomboy (album)

Last updated
Tomboy
Tomboy2011Album.jpg
Studio album by
Panda Bear
ReleasedApril 12, 2011
Genre
Length50:00
Label Paw Tracks
Producer
Panda Bear chronology
Person Pitch
(2007)		Tomboy
(2011)		 Mr Noah
(2014)
Singles from Tomboy
  1. "Tomboy / Slow Motion"
    Released: July 2010
  2. "You Can Count on Me / Alsatian Darn"
    Released: September 2010
  3. "Last Night at the Jetty / Drone"
    Released: December 2010
  4. "Surfer's Hymn"
    Released: March 2011

Tomboy is the fourth solo album by American musician Panda Bear (aka Noah Lennox), released on April 4, 2011, initially as an online stream and later physically. [5] It was mixed by UK musician Sonic Boom. In contrast to the sample-based composition of the previous Panda Bear album Person Pitch (2007), the recording of Tomboy features a stripped-down sound built around guitar processed through Korg M3-M workstation modules.

Contents

The album peaked at no. 29 on the Billboard 200. [6] It was included on 2011 best-of lists by publications such as Pitchfork and Rolling Stone .

Background

Following the success of his previous album Person Pitch (2007) and Animal Collective's Merriweather Post Pavilion (2009), Lennox was looking to move beyond the restrictions of composing with a sampler and record something "with a heavy focus on guitar and rhythm," influenced by bands like Nirvana and the White Stripes; [7] he later qualified that these artists' influence should not be taken too literally, as "their sound is over-driven and buzzed out and that wasn’t something I was really into. But […] it was exciting to see that from a simple set up, these bands can crank out some really heavy jams. I think I just took inspiration from that kind of approach.” [8] He also mentioned being inspired by the singing of "Frank Sinatra or crooner guys. It’s a really singular thing, but really powerful, too." [9]

In contrast to Person Pitch, which was recorded in his well-lit apartment overlooking Lisbon, Tomboy was recorded in a basement studio where "there was no light, it was really dark and it was kind of lonely." [8] During the sessions, Lennox ran his guitar through a Korg M3-M workstation module, which is commonly part of a synthesizer. [10] He explained that he "had this idea of a triangle where the voice was at the top, some sort of guitar element on one side, and then some sort of really basic rhythm on the other side. [10] The song "Benfica" is a reference to the Portuguese football club S.L. Benfica. [11]

Production

In an interview with NYCTaper in September 2010, Josh Dibb of Animal Collective revealed that he and bandmate Dave Portner had been requested to mix the album on its completion. [12] However, due to the fact that both of them were busy at the time, it was later reported that the album was being mixed by Sonic Boom, former Spacemen 3 member and producer of MGMT's second album, Congratulations. [13]

Lennox noted that his original mix of the album "sampled a lot of these little children’s movies that my daughter was watching at the time […] I just remember hearing this sonic clutter in the house all the time." He noted that Sonic Boom's mix made these less obvious but "I’m hoping that those sorts of things will make it feel a little more weird, like a broadcast coming from space." [8]

Release

Panda Bear performing at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2010 Panda Bear at the Pitchfork Music Festival 2010 (4809341179) (cropped).jpg
Panda Bear performing at the Pitchfork Music Festival in 2010

Lennox had mentioned that Tomboy's release would be similar to that of Person Pitch in that several singles would be released on different labels prior to its release, "Doing the singles helps me focus on every song and also helps me move along in the process." [7] The first single, "Tomboy" was released on Paw Tracks July 13, 2010, with a digital release following a week later. The first and only pressing sold out quickly. Another two singles, "You Can Count on Me" and "Last Night at the Jetty", were released later in the year on Domino and FatCat respectively. "Surfer's Hymn", the last of the four planned singles, was released by Kompakt on March 28 with a remix by London musician Actress. [14] According to his website, Tomboy was slated for release "near the end of 2010". [7]

On January 14, 2011, Lennox announced via Facebook that the album would be released on April 19 of that year, [15] and it was later moved up a week to April 12 so it would be available on Record Store Day. [16] Two listening parties for the album were held in New York City on February 16, and another two in Los Angeles on February 28.[ citation needed ] The first 1000 pressings of the vinyl were printed on translucent wax, and initial copies of the album came with a download card redeemable for a free digital copy of Live at Governor's Island, a recording of a New York show by Panda Bear from September 11, 2010. A limited edition box set for the album was released on November 1, 2011 with all proceeds going to the American Cancer Society. It contains four LPs featuring: the Tomboy full length with slightly different mixing on two LPs, Noah's single mixes on one LP, and several Tomboy unreleased instrumentals and a cappellas, plus "The Preakness" and a 16-page art booklet. [ citation needed ]

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?7.5/10 [17]
Metacritic 77/100 [18]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [19]
The A.V. Club A− [4]
Entertainment Weekly B+ [20]
The Guardian Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [21]
Los Angeles Times Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [22]
Mojo 6/10 [23]
Paste 7.1/10 [3]
Pitchfork 8.5/10 [24]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [25]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar half.svgStar empty.svg [26]
Slant Magazine 6/10 [27]

Rolling Stone stated that "the rapturous beauty on the Animal Collective singer's fourth solo disc is built on basic stuff: Lennox's choirboy tenor – multiplied into billowing harmonies – and sweet melodies," but called it "a bit less stunning" than Person Pitch. [26] The Guardian called the album "dense, oppressive and utterly hypnotic," and praised Lennox's "honeyed, glowing vocal harmonies, repeated and repeated until they induce not a headache, but a calming trance." [21] Entertainment Weekly stated that the album "stretches out Beach Boys-style pop into a kind of slo-mo sound installation. The woozy, reverb-rich result makes for great headphone swimming." [20] According to The Quietus , the album reflected "a more streamlined assimilation of all the classic Panda Bear touchstones: 60s psych-pop, drone, techno and folk," stating that 'by shedding many of his more irksome tropes, he lets his true craftsmanship shine through." [28]

Paste noted that the album "scales back on many of the infectious samples that made his third LP such an appealing record, instead inviting us into his own lush ambient-pop landscapes," but cautioned that Lennox occasionally "succumbs to the weight of his somewhat ambivalent, drudging experiments." [3] Slant Magazine claimed that "it’s difficult not to be slightly disappointed by the despondent nature of Lennox’s fourth solo album," adding that "though rich and dreamlike, Panda Bear’s latest is too tedious, too bloated, and far too serious to be anything more than an above-average record." [27]

Pitchfork placed the album at number 32 on its list of the "Top 50 albums of 2011". [29]

Rolling Stone placed the album at number 37 on its list of the "Top 50 albums of 2011". [30]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."You Can Count on Me"2:21
2."Tomboy"4:23
3."Slow Motion"4:36
4."Surfer's Hymn"4:31
5."Last Night at the Jetty"4:29
6."Drone"4:01
7."Alsatian Darn"4:16
8."Scheherazade"3:53
9."Friendship Bracelet"5:54
10."Afterburner"6:50
11."Benfica"4:11
Expanded Edition bonus track
No.TitleLength
12."The Preakness" (positioned between "Drone" and "Alsatian Darn")3:32

Related Research Articles

<i>Sung Tongs</i> 2004 studio album by Animal Collective

Sung Tongs is the fifth studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on May 3, 2004 by FatCat Records. The album, newly exploring freak folk, received high critical reception upon its release and was featured in best-of lists at the end of 2004 and the decade of the 2000s. Only two of the band's four members play on the album, Avey Tare and Panda Bear, a first since Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished (2000), which was originally credited to the duo and only later retroactively classified as part of the band's discography.

<i>Spirit Theyre Gone, Spirit Theyve Vanished</i> 2000 studio album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear (Animal Collective)

Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished is the first collaborative studio album by Avey Tare and Panda Bear, released in August 2000. It was later retroactively classified as the debut album by Portner and Lennox's group Animal Collective. The album was first released as a CD on the band's own Animal label with only 2000 copies produced.

<i>Here Comes the Indian</i> 2003 studio album by Animal Collective

Here Comes the Indian, later reissued as Ark, is the first album by the American experimental pop band Animal Collective under that name, which released June 17, 2003 on Paw Tracks. It is the first release by the group on which all four members—Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin —perform together. Three earlier albums released by various combinations of these musicians were not billed as Animal Collective until later, however the 2003 album is now considered the band's fourth.

<i>Campfire Songs</i> (Animal Collective album) 2003 studio album by Campfire Songs

Campfire Songs is the debut and only album by the American band Campfire Songs, released in March 2003. A collaborative work between Dave Portner, Noah Lennox, and Josh Dibb, it was later retroactively classified as the third studio album by their band Animal Collective.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avey Tare</span> American musician (born 1979)

David Michael Portner, also known by his moniker Avey Tare, is a musician and songwriter who co-founded the American experimental pop band Animal Collective. He has released four solo albums, as well as four collaborative albums with Panda Bear three of which were later retroactively classified under Animal Collective's discography.

Paw Tracks was an independent record label based in Washington, D.C.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Black Dice</span> American experimental music duo

Black Dice is an American experimental noise music band based in Brooklyn, New York and consisting of brothers Bjorn and Eric Copeland along with Aaron Warren. Formed in 1997, the group was initially inspired by hardcore and noise rock, but subsequently shifted toward the extensive use of signal processing, effects units, and electronic instrumentation. They released their debut album Beaches & Canyons in 2002. They have recorded for labels such as DFA, Fat Cat, and Animal Collective's Paw Tracks.

<i>Young Prayer</i> 2004 studio album by Panda Bear

Young Prayer is the second solo album by American experimental pop musician Panda Bear, released on September 28, 2004. It follows his debut solo album Panda Bear (1999). It is his first since co-founding Animal Collective.

<i>Panda Bear</i> (album) 1999 studio album by Panda Bear

Panda Bear is the debut solo album by American musician Noah Lennox who later became a founding member of Animal Collective. The album was the first use of the Panda Bear moniker which he later continued to use while performing with group. It was released on June 1, 1999, shortly before his 21st birthday on the label Soccer Star Records. The label was formed by himself and fellow future Animal Collective member and childhood friend Deakin and was initially founded only to release this album. However the label eventually morphed into Animal and then Paw Tracks. This album marks the very first Animal Collective related release, apart from the EP "Paddington Band", which was a recording by the Animal Collective precursor Automine, which featured all other members of the future group except for Lennox himself.

<i>Person Pitch</i> 2007 studio album by Panda Bear

Person Pitch is the third solo album by American recording artist Noah Lennox under his alias Panda Bear, released on March 20, 2007 by Paw Tracks. Departing stylistically from his prior work as both a member of Animal Collective and a solo artist, the album was recorded using the Boss SP-303 sampler, with instrumentation largely composed of manipulated samples and loops, accompanied by Lennox's layered vocals. He described it as a collection of "super dubby and old sounding" songs inspired by his then-recent marriage, fatherhood, and move to Portugal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Panda Bear (musician)</span> American musician (born 1978)

Noah Benjamin Lennox, also known by his moniker Panda Bear, is an American musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and co-founding member of the band Animal Collective. In addition to his work with that group, Lennox has released six solo LPs since 1999, with his 2007 album Person Pitch inspiring the chillwave genre and numerous other acts. His subsequent albums Tomboy (2011) and Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (2015) both reached the Billboard 200.

<i>Merriweather Post Pavilion</i> (album) 2009 studio album by Animal Collective

Merriweather Post Pavilion is the eighth studio album by American experimental pop group Animal Collective, released on January 6, 2009, through Domino Records. The group recorded the album as a trio featuring members Panda Bear, Avey Tare and Geologist, with co-production by Ben H. Allen. It is titled after the Maryland venue of the same name, where Portner and Weitz attended concerts in their youth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Animal Collective</span> American experimental pop band

Animal Collective is an American experimental pop band formed in Baltimore, Maryland. Its members consist of Avey Tare, Panda Bear, Geologist, and Deakin. The band's work is characterized by an eclectic exploration of styles, including psychedelia, freak folk, noise, and electronica, with the use of elements such as loops, drones, sampling, vocal harmonies, and sound collage. AllMusic's Fred Thomas suggests that the group "defined the face of independent experimental rock during the 2000s and 2010s."

"Surfer's Hymn" is the final single from Panda Bear's fourth solo album, Tomboy. It was released as a limited edition 7" by Kompakt on March 28, 2011 and later released digitally. In suit with the other three, the single features artwork by Noah's fellow Jane member, Scott Mou. An unofficial yet approved music video, directed by m ss ng p eces was released for the song. Reportedly, Tomboy producer and former Spacemen 3 member, Sonic Boom posted the video to the Animal Collective fan board, Collected Animals, however this has not been confirmed. The 7" also features a remix by electronic artist Actress.

<i>Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper</i> 2015 studio album by Panda Bear

Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper is the fifth studio album by American recording artist Panda Bear. Coproduced by Sonic Boom of Spacemen 3, it was released on January 9, 2015, by the Domino Recording Company. Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper was preceded by the digital release of an extended play, Mr Noah, and two singles, "Mr Noah" and "Boys Latin". It was followed by the extended play Crosswords.

<i>Crosswords</i> (EP) 2015 EP by Panda Bear

Crosswords is the second extended play album by American recording artist Panda Bear. It was released on August 20, 2015 by the Domino Recording Company. This release features an updated audio mix of the track "Crosswords" from the version on his fifth studio album Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper. The other 4 tracks on the release were not included on Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper, however, an earlier version of "The Preakness" appears on Animal Collective's 2011 EP Keep + Animal Collective and the deluxe edition of Panda Bear album Tomboy.

<i>Painting With</i> 2016 studio album by Animal Collective

Painting With is the tenth studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on February 19, 2016. The album is a follow-up to Centipede Hz (2012), and features contributions from John Cale and Colin Stetson. It peaked at No. 46 on the Billboard 200. Three singles were issued: "FloriDada" (2015), "Lying in the Grass", and "Golden Gal". A companion EP, The Painters, was released the following year.

<i>Buoys</i> (album) 2019 studio album by Panda Bear

Buoys is the sixth studio album by American musician Panda Bear, released on February 8, 2019. It was preceded by the lead single "Dolphin", released along with its music video, and features collaborations with Chilean DJ Lizz and Portuguese singer Dino D'Santiago.

<i>Time Skiffs</i> 2022 studio album by Animal Collective

Time Skiffs is the eleventh studio album by American experimental pop band Animal Collective, released on February 4, 2022, on Domino. It is their first album in six years and marks the return of band member Deakin, who sat out of the recording and touring of the band's previous album, Painting With (2016). Time Skiffs was preceded by four singles: "Prester John", "Walker", "Strung with Everything", and "We Go Back".

<i>Reset</i> (Panda Bear and Sonic Boom album) 2022 album by Panda Bear and Sonic Boom

Reset is an album by Panda Bear and Sonic Boom, released on August 12, 2022 through Domino. It marks the duo's first collaborative album; Kember had previously co-produced Lennox's Tomboy (2011) and Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper (2015).

References

  1. ↑ Fink, Matt. "In the Studio: Panda Bear on His Next Album, Tentatively Titled "Panda Bear Meets the Grim Reaper" Don't Fear the Reaper". Under the Radar. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  2. ↑ "The 5 Best Albums and 5 Best Songs This Month". Papermag. 2015-01-29. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  3. 1 2 3 Blau, Max. "Panda Bear: Tomboy". Paste. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  4. 1 2 Hyden, Steven (April 12, 2011). "Panda Bear: Tomboy". The A.V. Club . Archived from the original on April 15, 2011. Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Grimm, Beca (2011-04-14). "First Listen: Panda Bear, 'Tomboy'". NPR. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  6. ↑ "Panda Bear". Billboard. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  7. 1 2 3 "Paw Tracks Artists". Paw-tracks.com. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  8. 1 2 3 Carle, Darren. "Panda Bear: "The guitar is still a real source of power"". The Skinny. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  9. ↑ Phili, Stelios (10 September 2010). "Q&A: Animal Collective's Panda Bear On How He Is Similar To Kanye West". The Village Voice. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  10. 1 2 Colly, Joe (2011-04-04). "Panda Bear". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  11. ↑ "PLAY: não aconselhável a anti-benfiquistas | Maisfutebol.iol.pt | Paixão Pura - Um livro, um filme e uma música para assinalar um ano de conquistas das águias: ainda a série Wayward Pines e os Death Cab for Cutie". Maisfutebol.iol.pt. 2015-06-22. Retrieved 2017-03-25.
  12. ↑ "Deakin: The NYCTaper Interview by Jarrod Dicker". nyctaper. 2010-09-12. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  13. ↑ "Panda Bear's Tomboy Tracklist Unveiled | News". Pitchfork. 2011-01-20. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  14. ↑ "// BLOG // News: March 28th Kompakt Releases Panda Bear "Surfers Hymn" 7" w/ Actress Remix!". Kompakt.fm. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  15. ↑ "Panda Bear - Panda Bear's 'Tomboy' to be released April..." Facebook. 2011-04-19. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  16. ↑ "Behold: The Cover of Panda Bear's Tomboy | News". Pitchfork. 2011-01-28. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
  17. ↑ "Tomboy by Panda Bear reviews". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  18. ↑ "Reviews for Tomboy by Panda Bear". Metacritic . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  19. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Tomboy – Panda Bear". AllMusic . Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  20. 1 2 Wood, Mikael (April 7, 2011). "Tomboy". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  21. 1 2 Costa, Maddy (April 7, 2011). "Panda Bear: Tomboy – review". The Guardian . Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  22. ↑ Brown, August (April 11, 2011). "Album review: Panda Bear's 'Tomboy'". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Panda Bear - Tomboy". Mojo. No. May 2011. p. 100.
  24. ↑ Harvell, Jess (April 11, 2011). "Panda Bear: Tomboy". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  25. ↑ "Panda Bear: Tomboy". Q (298): 120. May 2011.
  26. 1 2 Hermes, Will (April 12, 2011). "Tomboy". Rolling Stone . Retrieved November 20, 2015.
  27. 1 2 Leidel, Kevin (14 April 2011). "Panda Bear, Tomboy". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  28. ↑ Frame, Charlie. "Reviews: Panda Bear - Tomboy". The Quietus. Retrieved 9 January 2022.
  29. ↑ "Staff Lists: The Top 50 Albums of 2011". Pitchfork Media. December 15, 2011. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 8, 2012.
  30. ↑ Betts, Stephen (7 December 2011). "Panda Bear, 'Tomboy' - 50 Best Albums of 2011". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2015-11-20.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.